Dark Shadow Tournement
by A Ravenclaw and her Charizard
Summary: A new tournament, a new danger, can Ash Ketchum and his new frined, stop the events about to unfold?


_**I don't own pokemon.**_

_**I wish I did, then my first ever fanfiction would be better, don't flame please.**_

_I wouldn't do that if I were you, Kylie!_

The Trainer in question turned around to look at her friend.

"Oh, Gardevoir, I'm sure nothings going to leap out and attack us." The Trainer laughed, tucking a strand of wine red hair behind her left ear as she tried to convince her Pokemon.

_Every time you say that we get into bigger trouble._

"Not true, we met Neil last time."

_He tried to steal a Pokemon from you._

"Oh yeah… umm, the time before that… no, we ended up falling down a crevice… and it was those Beedrill the time before that…"

_And the time before that you ran out of food and starved yourself while having plenty of Pokefood in your backpack._

"You guys ate well!" Kylie protested.

_Yes, but you were starving._

"I can't eat Pokemon food, remember, I tried. Blegh." Kylie turned back to the cliff face she'd been about to climb before her Gardevoir had distracted her. "Now, over or around, cause if we go around we're heading into the desert and I don't think I have enough water on me. If we go over there's a town on the other side and I can get supplies before we try anything like that."

…_You hurt your leg yesterday; can you climb with a bandaged leg?_

"I've climbed with worse, Gar, you know that." Kylie frowned and started to climb, wincing slightly as she put her right leg down too hard.

Gardevoir sighed; she could not understand her Trainer's obsession with doing things the hard way. Why didn't Kylie just use her Charizard, who was stood at the top of the cliff face, to fly her up there? None of her Pokemon would think any the less of her, and everyone knew she was hurt from yesterday's little cave in, courtesy of a wild Graveler who had decided he didn't like the Trainer that was sneaking around his cave system.

That was why they were at the bottom of the cliff now and not the top, and certainly not already at the town.

Gardevoir shook her head, it wasn't like she wouldn't have Teleported Kylie up there if the girl had asked, but she was being stubborn like normal.

She watched carefully as her Trainer climbed, choosing to wait at the bottom, while Charizard waited at the top, They would not let their Trainer get hurt, no matter how stubborn she was.

"Made it!" Kylie sighed in relief, as she scrambled onto solid land. Seconds later her Gardevoir Teleported itself to her side at the top of the cliff. Kylie shook her head in frustration, "You two are a nightmare, I know neither of you are particularly fond of your Pokeballs, but…"

_Don't say that we don't have to look after you._

Kylie just stared at Gardevoir. Charizard roared something and Kylie looked at him oddly. "Zard?" She asked, having not quite caught that.

_Charizard said, 'You take care of us, we take care of you. Simple as that.'_

"I… Uh…" Kylie cut off as Charizard roared again.

_He also asks that you don't shorten his name. He is Charizard, not Char, or Zard, or any other of the ways you've shortened his name before now._

"Sorry Charizard." Kylie looked sheepish. She looked at her Psychic type, "Do you mind me shortening your name?"

_I don't mind being Gar, or De, but not Voir, please._

"Ok." Kylie smiled, "Come on, lets go."

Gardevoir looked around, so far so good, she'd managed to get her Trainer off the subject of Charizard and her being over protective recently. She didn't want to have to explain that she'd forseen something that could endanger Kylie's life.

Gardevoir followed her Trainer into the forest, Charizard flying overhead.

They wouldn't let their Trainer get hurt again.

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Ash Ketchum was getting annoyed.

Once again, he was well and truly lost.

And he was running out of food.

He walked through the forest, where he could've sworn there was supposed to be a town, Pikachu at his side, and decided that the map said to go this way, so this was the way he was going to go.

"Gardevoir! Psychic!"

Ash looked around, a girl's voice, a Trainer's voice, but where was she?

He headed in the direction of the voice.

"IZARD!" Ash looked up and through the canopy saw a Charizard flying over head.

"Charizard! Flamethrower!" The girl's voice again.

The girl owned a Charizard?

Ash reached a clearing, where a young red headed trainer was directing her Gardevoir and Charizard to attack the mass of Beedrill that she'd somehow managed to anger, they were easily taking out masses and Ash watched, impressed, he didn't think she'd appreciate him getting in her way...

He spotted a Beedrill attempting to attack the Trainer from behind and Pikachu reacted quickly to his call, using Volt Tackle to knock out the Beedrill, it's stinger cut the Trainer's sleeve and she wheeled around with a hiss, then saw the downed Beedrill, spotted Ash and Pikachu, smiled, then turned back to her Pokemon.

Twenty seconds later they were running again, this time in the opposite direction. The Beedrill taken care of for now. Ash, Pikachu, the Trainer and her Gardevoir stopped and leant back against some trees as they caught their breath. Her Charizard passed overhead with a roar.

"Thanks… for the help." The girl gasped. "My name is Kylie Miyo… I'm from Mahogany Town… And this is Gardevoir,… and up there… somewhere, is Charizard."

"Ash Ketchum… From Pallet Town… And this is… Pikachu."

"Pikachu."

"Izard!"

_Hello._

Ash stared at Gardevoir. Kylie laughed at the look on his face.

"Gardevoir's a Psychic type, she can use telepathy."

Ash just nodded, noticing something about Kylie's sleeve.

"Can I?" He asked, Kylie frowned, then saw what he was looking at and nodded.

Ash took a hold of her wrist and looked at the arm properly. "A small cut, our fault, we accidentally knocked the Beedrill into you, sorry."

"It's ok, I've had worse, thanks for your help earlier." Ash didn't miss Gardevoir rolling her eyes. "Where were you heading?"

"I'm supposed to be heading to a tournament that's being held about ten miles from here. But I need to stock up on supplies first."

"The Dark Shadow Tournament right?" Kylie asked. "The one being held in Brunswick City?"

Ash nodded. "You got an invite too?"

"Yeap, it looks like all the top Trainers in the region did." Kylie looked at Gardevoir, then made up her mind, "You wanna come with us?"

Ash looked at her oddly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, but I think I know where the nearest town is, and we're both headed the same way."

Ash looked at Gardevoir, and then up at Charizard as it passed overhead again. "Your Pokemon don't mind?"

_It would be nice for Kylie to have some human company for a change._ Gardevoir answered.

"Charizard?" Kylie called up to it, it stopped in mid air, it's wings keeping it aloft, it's downward beats causing the air below it to go mental, and nearly blow Ash's hat off, "Would you mind Ash joining us for a while?" Kylie shouted over the noise.

"Char!" It roared, then started circling again.

"Well?"

"Not a problem, Charizard quite likes you already, most unusual."

"Not normally trusting?" Ash asked, his Charizard had been a bit of a hand full for quite a while.

"Charizard was my starter, he's very protective of me." Kylie shrugged in answer. "But he likes you for some reason, which I'm not going to question. He and Gardevoir are normally right and both seem to like you."

"Shall we go then?" Ash asked. Kylie nodded and moved away from the tree. She frowned slightly as the world spun, but faked being fine once the world had settled.

"The sooner we get to town, the sooner we can go to the Tournament."

They travelled in silence for a while, then Ash spoke first, "Are you going to use Gardevoir and Charizard in the Tournament?"

"Yeap, Gardevoir, Charizard… and I think Starmie, Milotic, Steelix and possibly Ampharos, but I'm not sure yet. What about you?"

"Pikachu," Ash said, "Swellow, Torkoal, Donphan, Sceptile, then possibly Taros, possibly Galie."

"Well rounded team, we stand more chance then some of the opposition. Did you get that booklet that shows who's been invited." Ash nodded, "Well," Kylie pulled hers out, "I know for a fact this guy uses Fire types, and she uses Water and Ice types, and this guy here will be hard to beat cause he focuses on Thunder types."

"How?"

"You're looking at someone who had their annual membership reduced at the local Gym because she was there, assisting the Gym Leader so much, and got tickets every year to watch the leagues in front row seats." Kylie admitted, "I try to keep up with who's who at the top, so I know what I'm facing."

"Am I on your list?"

Kylie nodded, then wished she hadn't as her world spun again. "Yes, you are."

Ash watched her closely, "You don't look too good."

"I'm fine."

_No you're not._

Ash's eyes widened as he realised what was wrong. "The Beedrill that got you…"

_She's been poisoned?_

Ash nodded, "How far is the nearest town?"

"Not much further, I can make it." Kylie told him stubbornly.

"Can you Teleport her there?" Ash asked Gardevoir, she shook her head.

_I can only Teleport to places we've…_ Gardevoir cut off as she used her Psychic powers to catch her Trainer, who'd collapsed where she'd been stood, _Have you ever ridden a Charizard before?_

"Once or twice. I used to have one."

_Charizard! _Ash realised it was calling to the Pokemon in the air, the Fire/Flying type roared, and broke it's way though the few branches that blocked it from Gardevoir, _Can you carry Kylie and this Trainer?_

Charizard roared and nodded. Then gave Gardevoir an odd look.

_I'll follow on the ground, return to my Pokeball._

"Izard! Charizard!" The dragonic fire type growled shaking his head.

_I don't have a choice right now, I'm leaving her in your hands. Take care of our partner._

Charizard nodded and let Ash mount, Gardevoir used her powers to lift Kylie onto the Pokemon's back, and then returned to her Pokeball. Ash had no clue what to make of it all as Charizard lifted off, but was glad that they landed by the Pokemon Centre just outside of Town just minutes later.

Gardevoir was straight back out; Ash wondered if she hated it as much as Pikachu hated his.They rushed into the Pokemon Centre while Charizard curled up outside the door, unable to fit through the door, but unwilling to go inside his Pokeball. There was nothing he could do as he explained what had happened and was entrusted with her Pokeballs as Nurse Joy rushed her into the emergency room.

The he and Gardevoir settled down to waiting.


End file.
